Narrative:

During preflight; found captain's seat cushion approximately 5 inch gap between the seat cushion and the seat back. Attempted to adjust the cushion but was unable too. When I sat on the cushion it had insufficient padding. Felt as if there was no seat cushion in the seat that I was sitting on a waste can. I called maintenance and made a write-up in the log book. I then notified operations and the dispatcher. When maintenance personnel arrived they were able to reposition the cushion to the proper location on the seat and asked me to sit in the seat. I told them cushion was position properly; but it still felt like sitting on a can. The maintenance personnel left and came back later to get the logbook. I later found out that maintenance was deferring the seat cushion. I then called the dispatcher and he had a chief pilot call me. I explained the situation to the chief pilot. [I] informed him that I had injured my tail bone in a similar situation last year that took two months to heal. The chief pilot informed me that the deferral was a legitimate deferral. That I had almost had thirty years with the company and I need to weigh the needs of the company and the passengers getting to their destinations over my comfort needs. I informed him that this had nothing to do with comfort; but preventing me from getting injured from a seat that didn't have enough support. (Note: I felt that if I re injured my tail bone it would compromise the safety of the passengers; crew and the flight.) he told me that I was the PIC and it was my decision; but I must put the company's needs and the passenger's needs before my comfort. I told him that what he was telling me that I am damned if I do or damned if I do. He told me that wasn't the case; I was the PIC it was my decision. I told him I knew where this was going and I don't like it at all; and I was finished talking with him. I walked back to the front of the aircraft and informed the crew. The maintenance supervisor came onto the aircraft and informed me that there was a seat cushion in an outstation near our destination and that the mechanics would drive to our destination and replace the cushion when the aircraft arrived there if I was willing to operate the flight there. But; it was up to me. I told him that there was weather moving into the destination area and that was the reason for my concern. I told him I want to check the weather and determine that there isn't any chance of weather they could cause me any injury. I pulled up the national weather radar on my smart phone and saw that the line of weather was still west of our destination and our route would take us east of the most northeastern part of the weather. I showed the maintenance supervisor the radar image and told him this is the weather I was concerned about and it appears that the storms have slowed and it looks as if the flights route to our destination would avoid the storm. I agreed to do the flight only if the new cushion was installed in our destination before our departure back to this airport. He made a call and then informed me they were getting into their truck and leaving out station as we speak. I then told the crew of the situation and informed operations to start boarding the flight. During the taxi from the gate and during the take off roll I sustained minor pain in my lower back and buttocks. During the flight we encountered some light turbulence with some addition pain in my lower back and buttocks. The outstation maintenance personnel met the aircraft upon our arrival in our destination and replaced the seat cushion. When I got out of my seat and walked up the jetway I had some pain running down my leg. I did some stretching exercises and was able to work the pain out. When I sat on the new cushion; it felt so good. I don't know what to say to avoid the recurrence of this type of event. But; when you have a manager that resorts to intimidation and promote the total disregard to the corporate policy in regardsto employee's safety and providing a safe environment and work conditions these managers foster a work environment that is hazardous and leads to accidents and injuries to those employees that they are tasked to insure their safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ-900's Captain seat cushion had insufficient padding but could not be replaced at the departure airport because none was available so the Captain agreed; inspite of possible physical injury; to fly to the scheduled destination where a cushion was available.

Narrative: During preflight; found Captain's seat cushion approximately 5 inch gap between the seat cushion and the seat back. Attempted to adjust the cushion but was unable too. When I sat on the cushion it had insufficient padding. Felt as if there was no seat cushion in the seat that I was sitting on a waste can. I called Maintenance and made a write-up in the log book. I then notified Operations and the Dispatcher. When Maintenance personnel arrived they were able to reposition the cushion to the proper location on the seat and asked me to sit in the seat. I told them cushion was position properly; but it still felt like sitting on a can. The Maintenance personnel left and came back later to get the logbook. I later found out that Maintenance was deferring the seat cushion. I then called the Dispatcher and he had a Chief Pilot call me. I explained the situation to the Chief Pilot. [I] informed him that I had injured my tail bone in a similar situation last year that took two months to heal. The Chief Pilot informed me that the deferral was a legitimate deferral. That I had almost had thirty years with the company and I need to weigh the needs of the company and the passengers getting to their destinations over my comfort needs. I informed him that this had nothing to do with comfort; but preventing me from getting injured from a seat that didn't have enough support. (Note: I felt that if I re injured my tail bone it would compromise the safety of the passengers; crew and the flight.) He told me that I was the PIC and it was my decision; but I must put the company's needs and the passenger's needs before my comfort. I told him that what he was telling me that I am damned if I do or damned if I do. He told me that wasn't the case; I was the PIC it was my decision. I told him I knew where this was going and I don't like it at all; and I was finished talking with him. I walked back to the front of the aircraft and informed the crew. The Maintenance Supervisor came onto the aircraft and informed me that there was a seat cushion in an outstation near our destination and that the mechanics would drive to our destination and replace the cushion when the aircraft arrived there if I was willing to operate the flight there. But; it was up to me. I told him that there was weather moving into the destination area and that was the reason for my concern. I told him I want to check the weather and determine that there isn't any chance of weather they could cause me any injury. I pulled up the national weather radar on my smart phone and saw that the line of weather was still west of our destination and our route would take us east of the most northeastern part of the weather. I showed the Maintenance Supervisor the radar image and told him this is the weather I was concerned about and it appears that the storms have slowed and it looks as if the flights route to our destination would avoid the storm. I agreed to do the flight only if the new cushion was installed in our destination before our departure back to this airport. He made a call and then informed me they were getting into their truck and leaving out station as we speak. I then told the crew of the situation and informed Operations to start boarding the flight. During the taxi from the gate and during the take off roll I sustained minor pain in my lower back and buttocks. During the flight we encountered some light turbulence with some addition pain in my lower back and buttocks. The Outstation Maintenance personnel met the aircraft upon our arrival in our destination and replaced the seat cushion. When I got out of my seat and walked up the jetway I had some pain running down my leg. I did some stretching exercises and was able to work the pain out. When I sat on the new cushion; it felt so good. I don't know what to say to avoid the recurrence of this type of event. But; when you have a manager that resorts to intimidation and promote the total disregard to the corporate policy in regardsto employee's safety and providing a safe environment and work conditions these managers foster a work environment that is hazardous and leads to accidents and injuries to those employees that they are tasked to insure their safety.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.